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Indigenous Artifcts: Echoes of Our Past and Future

Ellen Goodwin, Artifcts

October 11, 2021

Columbus Day is upon us, once more evoking questions about US heritage and how we choose to honor those who contributed to our national heritage. Today more awareness exists about Columbus’ dark history and in several US states and cities Indigenous People’s Day has been created to honor the indigenous history and future of the United States. You’re not here for a history lesson (and we’re not qualified to provide it in this case), but if you’d like to learn more, History.com offers a brief primer on Columbus Day.

What we can offer is the first of a series of modern and ancient indigenous Artifcts, with useful details about their origins, the concepts and people portrayed, and how and why they were made. As always, we started local, turning to a holy man of Cherokee and Apache heritage and resident of Corpus Christi, Texas, to learn more about indigenous Artifcts he’s been honored with.

Indigenous "Treasures"

Growing up in Wisconsin farm country, kids would find arrowheads in creek beds and freshly plowed fields. It was not an unusual occurrence in the least, but still special enough to create excitement. Only in preparing this piece for ARTIcles did I learn that indigenous people who come across these artifacts leave the artifacts in place, sprinkle tobacco (“the ancient one,” the oldest of herbals) onto the artifact in blessing, and move on. In modern times, outside of reservation and national park lands, leaving an arrowhead in place would not likely be possible. The better course in these situations is to contact the nearest tribe and share the discovery with them so that they can manage the artifact.

I share this to emphasize that while a child’s choice to remove an artifact as a treasure is in no way malicious, the act fails to honor the spirit and history of the artifact. Picking up that theme of honoring our past, today we are privileged to share with you two Artifcts from the collection of Larry Running Turtle Salazar.

In my first 30-minute discussion with Running Turtle I must have encountered themes across a dozen topics I wanted to explore about his life and learnings. His casual discussion of his self-described 10-year-pilgrimage into Tibetan Buddhism, including a meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Plum Village Monastery in southern France … via an introduction facilitated by Steven Segal … who Running Turtle had studied aikido, his 4^th and final blackbelt, with back in the 90s … is an example of the tangents we found ourselves on and that I wished we could explore further. But today, let’s focus on Artifcts!

Indigenous Artifcts Old and New

Don’t tease me. Show me the Artifcts >

Running Turtle describes himself in part as a wisdom seeker. (In part? He is human after all and lives many realities: artist, healer, parent, entrepreneur, neighbor, author, and so many more.) Through sharing these Artifcts, opening his ceremonies to non-indigenous people, sharing his artistry, he provides us the opportunity to be wisdom seekers, helping to bring rest and truth about the past and future of the indigenous people of the United States.

Let’s start with the old. The first Artifct is a bust of an indigenous man molded in clay by Running Turtle himself when he was 14 or 15 years old. In this artistic rendering, the indigenous man is crowned with a golden eagle feather war bonnet that is approximately 95 years old. The necklace and pedestal carry with them much longer histories. Read on.

Modern monument from a master. The second Artifct is also a bust, but this one was created by internationally known sculptor and bronze artist Dave McGary shortly before his passing in 2013. Read on.

Closing Thoughts

We encourage you to make the choice to learn more about the indigenous people’s history where you live. Or, if traveling in Texas and by luck it’s the last Saturday of the month, be a guest at Running Turtle’s drum circle and experience what may otherwise feel for most of us like lost heritage. Take an active role in preserving history, too, whether it's yours or that of your local community, country, or far-off places in the world.

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What's New at Artifcts

Using the Artifcts App to Create Artifcts

“ANY of my photos I took on my phone?”
“Can you help with all these voice messages? Are they ‘stuff?’”
“Oh, I can do that walking around my house! My son thinks it’s all junk.”
“I have a three-hour layover in Denver. I’ll start Artifcting then!”
{What will you say?}

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We took notes as our newest Artifcts Community members tried out our app last week at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City. We must have chatted with more than 500 people who stopped by our booth. Some were conference attendees. Others are themselves respected builders of the premiere brands in genealogy services today. The awe factor of our modest app centered around how much you could do with a single, easy to use application. We’re declaring that a win!

On Monday we offered a free webinar to walk through some of the ins and outs of creating an Artifct from the Artifcts app. You can watch the recording, blooper moments and all, on our YouTube channel ->

Your Turn! Try a Few of the Artifcts App Features

The more feedback from all of you, the better and better the app will be. Download the app to your iOS or Android device, give it a try, and write to us at Hello@Artifcts.com. We review every message!

CREATE A NEW ARTIFCT
Use what you’ve got!

On your phone, that is. Go for it, scroll 1000s of photos back in your gallery to that ONE photo you’re thinking of. Or pop into your voicemail and rescue that message you’ve saved for months or even years.

- 1. Open the voice message.
  2. Click the share icon
  3. Choose the Artifcts app!

Select a voice message on your mobile phone

Choose to add the voice message to a new or existing Artifct

Images are from an iOS phone. Android will have slight differences.

Start fresh. Work with the latest.
From the Artifcts app, click '+ Artifct.'

How to create a new Artifct on the app

Now choose to take a new photo, use an existing photo, video, or audio file, and off you go! Remember, you can choose up to five media files per Artifct and rearrange them to flow with your story.

SHARE AN ARTIFCT
Mobile Style

You can always share an Artifct with someone based on their Artifcts screen name or email address. You can even post public Artifcts to social media. But did you know that the Artifcts app offers a special sharing option?

1. 1. Click the share icon on your Artifct.
  2. Choose ‘Share link’ to send the Artifct via text message. You don’t even have to enter the email, phone number, or know if they are already an Artifcts member. Simply type to find the contact on your phone and send the Artifct in a text.
  3. If the Artifct is private, and you haven’t already given the person permission, they will be able to “request access” when they click to view the Artifct link you sent them. Don’t' worry, they will be encouraged to sign in (or create a free Artifcts account) first to see if they already have access.

Bonus! If you have notifications for the Artifcts app enabled on your mobile device, you’ll learn instantly when they request access.

FIND OUT: WHAT'S IT WORTH?
When you supect real market value or historical relevance

You can find out if your treasures are authentic and potentially valuable!

1. 1. Click to view one of your Artifcts
  2. Scroll to the end of the Artifct and click "What's it worth?" to ask Heritage Auctions.
  3. After expert review, Heritage Auctions will attach directly to your Artifct a free valuation within two to three weeks. Be sure to provide helpful details. We offer tips in our FAQs for valuations.

Happy Artifcting!

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March 15, 2023

TIPS & TRICKS

The Artifcts Bookshelf: Books About or Related to 'Stuff'

Here you'll find a simple listing of a wide-ranging and growing collection of books, with 'stuff' as the unify theme. Now and then we may post a link to an online article, podcast, or similar, but given how impermanent those links can be and the frustration paywalls can present, we'll mostly stick to books.

We use tags to organize them for your quick scanning. Click any image below to review the book over on the author’s site, Amazon, or elsewhere.

What are you reading? Share with Editor@Artifcts.com and we'll check it out.

(Please note: These books are literally on our nightstands, coffee tables, and bookshelves. We are not paid to list publications here.)

THE ARTIFCTS BOOKSHELF

	The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance By Edmund de Waal, Jan. 2010 FICTION, COLLECTIBLES
	The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue By V. E. Schwab, Oct. 2021 FICTION, ARTS
	Uncommon Type By Tom Hanks, Sep. 2018 FICTION, COLLECTIONS
	What to Do with Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want By Marni Jameson, Jun. 2021 NONFICTION, INSTRUCTIONAL
	108 Beloved Objects: Letting Go of Stuff, Keeping Our Stories By Jeff Greenwald, Aug. 2021 NONFICTION, THE EVERYDAY
	The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning By Margareta Magnusson, Jan. 2018 NONFICTION, INSTRUCTIONAL, THE EVERYDAY
	The Dig By John Preston, Apr. 2016 FICTION, HISTORY
	goodbye, things: The New Japanese Minimalism By Fumio Sasaki, Apr. 2017 NONFICTION, THE EVERYDAY
	Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness By Ingrid Fetell Lee, Sep. 2018 NONFICTION, THE EVERYDAY, INSTRUCTIONAL
	Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life By Matt Paxton, Feb. 2022 NONFICTION, INSTRUCTIONAL
	Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things By Gail Steketee, Jan. 2011 NONFICTION
	The Book of Form and Emptiness By Ruth Ozeki, Jun. 2022 FICTION, MENTAL HEALTH
	What We Keep: 150 People Share the One Object that Brings Them Joy, Magic, and Meaning By Bill Shapiro & Naomi Wax, Sept. 2018 NONFICTION, COLLECTIBLES, TRAVEL
	Taste: My Life Through Food By Stanley Tucci, Oct. 2021 NONFICTION, RECIPES, TRAVEL

March 11, 2023

FEATURED, THE ARTIFCTS BOOKSHELF

Muriel the Welder: A Woman Who Inspires Us

We're unequivocally in awe of the women we've been surrounded by as we've struck out to build a private and secure place to bring the stories and memories behind the objects of our lives. Friends from kindergarten and new business associates alike have stepped up to offer feedback, cheers, introductions, and inspiration.

Today we share a bit about Muriel, who at age 97 continues to live with vigor and purpose and has oh so many stories to share and inspire those of us who are living in very different times than she did at our age. You might notice, it has strong echoes of Rosie the Riveter. Perhaps she inspired Muriel, all the way down to the bandana, or maybe that was standard issue?

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At the age of 20, Muriel set down her apron at her parents’ shop and began attending school with “the boys” who would stop into the shop on their way to class. What were they studying? Welding.

From here it was a small matter of an acute attention to detail and the joy of being underestimated that drove Muriel to receive an Excellence in War Production Army-Navy Production Award from Lyon Metal Products, Inc., for her welding. Her specialization welding tail surfaces of small planes required a delicacy that was unfamiliar to many more experienced male welders at her school.

“We were putting ribs on tubing that was much heavier than the rib. So, if you didn’t apply the heat from the torch onto the heavier metal then the thin rib was, poof, gone, melted away.”

We’ve heard the stories before, women stepping in across a broad span of professions and industries to ensure life went on at home while primarily men were off fighting. Advertisements abounded, opening the labor market to women.

Lyon Metal Products job brochure than Muriel kept all these years! Why do you think the age ranges differ for men and women?

Yet, to hear the story firsthand, a story that was otherwise only a photo with a note “Lyon Metal, 1943, Montgomery, Illinois” on the back, brushing off this woman’s place in history, was awe inspiring.

These photos and brochures are among the last physical reminders of her contributions to WWII. Click the image to view the Artifct and hear Muriel's story in her own words.

What if no one had asked Muriel the question, “What were you welding?” “Or, why do you have a pair of old goggles?” Would this history have been lost forever? What histories lie hidden in your own family tree? What storied objects lie lurking in closets, bins, and drawers?

We encourage you on this day, International Women’s Day 2023, to reach out to a woman in your family and ask to hear more about their life. You never know how many, “I never knew that about you!” moments await.

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You can read more about Muriel the Welder in our story on ARTIcles by Artifcts, "She's the Last of Her Generation."

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March 08, 2023

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